The Girl Who Found Hope [2]

Year 3 - 33

Amelia and the Golden Trio made their way to the Black Lake where Hagrid was awaiting them. Today was the day when the trial was held for Buckbeak and Hagrid. Draco Malfoy had stuck to his promise and told his father, and in return Lucius had told William Reid, and in return the pair were attempting to get results. Get punishments. Hagrid was standing in the lake, knee-deep, skimming rocks while he stood there. Him holding back the tears while he did so.

"How'd it go Hagrid?" Hermione asked as the group appeared.

"Buckbeak enjoyed London." Hagrid replied, avoiding the topic.

"We meant the hearing." Amelia added. Hagrid sighed.

"Well, firs' off the Committee Members took it in turns ter talk about why we were there. Then I got up an' did my piece, said how Buckbeak was a good Hippogriff and he always cleaned 'is feathers. And then Lucius Malfoy an' William Reid stood up. Well yeh can imagine they said 'Buckbeak was a deadly and dangerous creature who would kill yeh as soon as he laid eyes on yeh."

"And then?" Hermione asked, not wanting to know the answer.

"Then they asked for the wors', good ol' Lucius and William." Hagrid replied.

"They're not sacking you?" Ron asked.

"No, I'm not sacked. Buckbeak's been sentenced to death." Hagrid cried out. The others exchanged a look of sadness.

~*~

The group made their way back up to the castle, and came across Cassiopeia walking alone down a corridor, her head in her book. She was walking gently while she read a fiction book in Bulgarian. Her pen-pal, Victor Krum, had recommended it so she started reading it.

She hadn't noticed the group had entered the hallway, she did even notice when Amelia started walking towards her. Harry, Ron and Hermione watched in confusion as Amelia walked straight up to Cassiopeia. The sound of a slap then echoed through the hallway, Cassiopeia- her head having been pushed to the side and her glasses having been thrown to the floor- straightened her head and looked to Amelia in shock, her hand going to her cheek. The trio rushed towards the pair, trying to stop whatever happened.

"What the hell?" Cassiopeia asked Amelia, her voice was filled with pain and it broke at every moment it could (from her still unhealed attack).

"It's all your fault!" Amelia spat out.

"What's my fault?" Cassiopeia asked, her voice the same. This made Amelia slap her again. Cassiopeia's hand went back up to her cheek, but she wouldn't fight back. However, following the first slap some people had come around the corner- Draco being one of them. "Will one of you please tell me what the hell it is that you think I've done?"

"You're the reason that Buckbeak is going to be executed! You and your stuck-up boyfriend!" Amelia snapped. "I thought you were better than this. I thought that you would stand up for the poor animal, but you didn't. Your father and Malfoy's father are the reason that the poor creature is going to lose its head! It's all your fault. And now you're standing there as if you did nothing, as if Buckbeak's life is worth nothing! Just because he's not as rich and spoilt as you are, you think that he's a mess underneath you. Something that you can just walk all over and then dispose of!"

"When did this happen?" She asked the group. Amelia still thought that Cassiopeia was playing clueless, and that irritated her. So, she launched herself at Cassiopeia. Amelia pushed Cassiopeia to the floor. Everyone was ready to break the pair apart, but then Cassiopeia was tired of being accused for something she didn't do. So, she used her strength, used her knowledge of self defence against her. She wrapped her legs around Amelia's waist and twisted so Amelia was underneath, and then Cassiopeia pushed Amelia's hands to the floor. "I don't know what the hell you think I did. But I didn't. I didn't tell my father about Buckbeak, I wouldn't. I know what he'll do, so I protected the creature. I don't know how he found out, so stop blaming me because I didn't do anything!" Cassiopeia managed to snap at her, although it brought great pain. Amelia stopped struggling and glared to Cassiopeia. Cassiopeia then stood up from on top of Amelia and picked up her book and glasses, after using a fixing charm on the glasses she was on her way down the other end of the corridor. Hermione helped up Amelia and looked at her disapprovingly. The crowd had disappeared by this point, so Amelia just looked to the trio.

"You shouldn't have done that." Draco's voice commented from behind the group. They turned to face him.

"Why, Malfoy?" Amelia snapped.

"Because I'm the one who told my father, and my father told Mr Reid. Cassiopeia had kept her word and not said anything. And now you've just thrown away a great friendship." Draco replied, walking away with his friends. 

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Thanks for reading

-Zoe